I. Field of Invention
The invention generally relates to multi media and more particularly to discrete cosine transform based compression system for generating multiple descriptions of data.
II. Description of the Related Art
Typically, digital information is compressed using a pre-selected format or process by an encoder. However, conventional digital consumer formats such as High Definition Television (HDTV), Digital Versatile Disc or Video Disc (DVD), Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), Digital Video Broadcast (DVB), Digital Satellite System (DSS) operate at various specific resolutions, frame rates and/or bit rates. Accordingly, in order to cater to the various formats, a compression technique that can generate multiple descriptions of video is required.
Current video compression standards that provide multiple descriptions do so in an innate form or are targeted toward a discrete application. For example, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) 2000 can generate multiple descriptions of video by reducing the video. However, being intraframe and wavelet based, JPEG 2000 inherently provides lower resolution images. Moreover, it is restricted to being dyadic, i.e. reduction factors are multiples of two. Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 4 also supports multiple description discrete cosine transform (DCT) that targets limited or fixed bandwidth applications such as Internet video. In this technique, a rudimentary form of the video is transmitted. Consecutive transmissions are made to enhance the details (bits) in the video. A major disadvantage in this approach is motion compensation.
Therefore there is a need for a more versatile, simple and/or efficient system that can generate multiple descriptions of video or video sequences.